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APOLOGETICS ASSIGNMENT II

WHAT ABOUT THE CRUSADES, THE INQUISITION, AND OTHER CHRISTIAN ATROCITIES?

The arguments: 1. These types of problems show that Christianity is rotten to the core – it will always lead to these types of ugly results.2. Belief in absolutes always leads to the desire to impose these views on
others. Some examples: Crusades, Spanish Inquisition, Salem witch trials, abuses by missionaries, Christians' treatment of Indians in new world, anti- Semitism (Luther), religious wars (Ireland, Reformation, etc.), Protestant treatment of heretics,…3. Other examples: Christian slaveholders in the Southern states, and Christian
involvement with Hitler and the holocaust…..???Answers to the Arguments:1. These types of atrocities are not based on true Christianity.2. Christianity was never meant to be forced on others. God could obviously force people to believe, but He has clearly not chosen to take this route. Christians are always wrong when they try to force their beliefs on others.3. Jesus predicted that Christianity would be mixed with false Christianity – the Parable of the Weeds and the Wheat (Matthew 13:24-30). Through the years Christianity has been mixed with (1) political power (Roman Catholic Church in Dark Ages or Middle Ages – Crusades and Inquisition; Geneva and killing of Servetus), (2) greed (Jim Baker, TV preachers), (3) the pursuit of personal fame.4. Not all who call themselves Christians are Christians (For example, Hitler called himself a Christian, Jim Jones called himself a Christian, almost all the cults call themselves Christians, etc.)5. Many Christians in Civil War times risked their lives and died to end slavery.6. Most of Christianity's growth has occurred in countries where they are the ones experiencing the atrocities. Today, in China, Sudan, Indonesia, Islamic countries it is the Christians who are being horribly mistreated and killed. You do not hear those who bring up about Christian atrocities mentioning what is happening to Christians in these countries. Notice that China and the Islamic countries make up a very large part of the world.The Positive Side:1. The total benefit and life-change produced by the Gospel.2. Humane treatment of the poor, handicapped, children, sick, and women often began by the influence of Christianity (hospital, homeless shelters, rescue missions, Salvation Army, relief organizations, humanitarian missions, etc.). (WHAT IF JESUS HAD NEVER BEEN BORN? by D. James Kennedy)3. Universal education: Sunday School was first begun to teach non-churched children to read, Universities began as Christian centers for higher learning, science begun by Christian scientists (Pascal, Newton, Boyle, Kepler – "Thinking God's thoughts after Him," Lister, Pasteur, Boyle, Kelvin…).4. Changes in society – elevation of women, elderly, and children.